The transfer portal may be opening later this year, but preparations are well under way on how programs will be attacking it. Exit interviews are being done as we speak and contract negotiations for next season are ongoing. Welcome to the new era of college football.
Josh Heupel and Tennessee are in the process of hiring a new defensive coordinator after firing Tim Banks. From there, the Volunteers will more than likely identify several names to go after in the portal, attempting to fix a defense
that took a massive step backwards last season.
They’ll also be dealing with the unknowns and blindsides of portal season, just as we saw last year with the rumor mill churning around Nico Iamaleava, Mike Matthews, Boo Carter and a handful of others. With that in mind, this list of needs is very much centered around what the roster looks like as of December 10th. There are sure to be twists and turns along the way, but here’s where I would start retooling this roster.
Cornerback
Tennessee ran thin at cornerback all season long after injuries forced Rickey Gibson and Jermod McCoy to miss the entire season. We fully expect McCoy and Colton Hood to declare for the NFL Draft, which would leave Rickey Gibson and Ty Redmond as Tennessee’s top two returning cornerbacks. You also have to look at the STAR spot, where Boo Carter and Jalen McMurray will exit. Veteran reserve William Wright will also exit.
So that leaves Tennessee with an open STAR spot and a big need for experienced depth. The Volunteers have a group of younger defensive backs that certainly could play into that depth role — Tre Poteat, Dylan Lewis, Tim Merritt. Tennessee also signed three cornerbacks in their class of 2026.
How do they feel about that next tier of players after redshirt seasons? That remains to be seen, but just like Colton Hood last season, you’d like to have some insurance in your back pocket.
The STAR spot feels like a true starter that they’ll have to find in the portal.
Safety
Similar to the cornerback room, Tennessee ran a fine line with depth at the position all season long, and they’ll lose veteran starter Andre Turrentine this offseason. That’s going to leave Kaleb Beasley and Edrees Farooq as returning contributors, along with Sidney Walton who got his feet wet late in the season.
Tennessee does have some impact signings here, headlined by elite athlete Joel Wyatt. Jowell Combay, KJ McLain and Luke Thompson join him in the class. Would Tennessee want another veteran body to replace Turrentine in the rotation? You would think they would.
This was a spot that the staff frankly mismanaged last season following the exit of four players off the depth chart. Those guys weren’t replaced, and Jakobe Thomas went on to have a huge year for Miami. I would doubt that they want to run that thin again in 2026, but it may come down to whether or not they think Wyatt can play right off the bat.
Defensive line
Similar to last year, Tennessee is set for a decent amount of turnover up front. Longtime contributors Bryson Eason and Dominic Bailey will be gone, along with Jaxson Moi and Tyre West. Rodney Garner’s pipeline will continue rolling though with Daevin Hobbs, Tyree Weathersby and Nathan Robinson. Former big-time prospects like Marion Dye, Isaiah Campbell and Ethan Utley will march up the depth chart.
We know Tennessee likes to rotate up front under Garner though, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Vols attack with one or two more bodies here that they can throw in immediately.
Running back
Tennessee is set to lose Star Thomas this offseason and they didn’t sign a back in their 2026 class. That’s going to leave DeSean Bishop, Peyton Lewis, Daune Morris and Justin Baker as the lone backs on the team. Much like the Star Thomas signing last year, getting a veteran to throw into the rotation and have for some insurance should be a priority here.
Quarterback
And now the great unknown for next year — does Joey Aguilar return for one more season on Rocky Top? Aguilar joined Diego Pavia’s JUCO lawsuit against the NCAA, which is attempting to make the NCAA drop JUCO years from counting against eligibility. If successful, Aguilar would have a season left to play. Pavia received a waiver to play this season, and Aguilar’s case is very similar.
If Aguilar doesn’t get another season, will Tennessee pursue a veteran stopgap or let George MacIntrye, Jake Merklinger and five-star signee Faizon Brandon battle it out? We’ve seen virtually nothing from MacIntyre or Merklinger yet, and while Brandon’s five-star billing and high school success are promising, you never know until you get them on campus. Brandon will join the team for bowl practices later this month.
Knowing how Josh Heupel has operated over the last five seasons, I’d be pretty surprised if a true freshman got the nod. It’s also worth wondering if MacIntyre or Merklinger will stick around if the writing become clear on the wall. I’m going to guess one way or another that Tennessee has a veteran option on the roster next season.
The transfer portal is set to open on January 2nd.
